The Heat enter Wednesday's game against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on a season-high, seven-game winning streak.

"It's up to us," forward LeBron James said. "We've got to continue doing what we were doing before the break."

What the Heat were doing was solidifying themselves as the top team in the Eastern Conference. They won five of the seven games by double-figures, including victories against contenders such as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers. They won those games by an average margin of 16 points, sweeping the season series against the Thunder.

"Every year is different," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "What happened before the break, who knows if you can continue playing like that regardless of whether there was an All-Star Game or not. What we do know is that this time of year everybody's interest and competitive nature starts to come alive. It'll be very competitive going down the stretch."